The Strength of Hope and the Arithmetic of Regeneration

Those participating in the truth are as many truths as there are participants. I say these things before the end, for there will not be many truths, nor many people who are true, nor many experts, nor many knowings at the end; because if from the believing ones there comes 'one heart and one soul' (1 Sam 18:1) and 'being completed in the same mind and the same judgment' (Phil 2:2)—even if not from all, but rather according to a certain measure—at the final desired end, there will be no difference between one expert and another.

Just as, even if by hypothesis all doctors possessed medicine in an unsurpassed way in all its parts, there were not many doctors; there were many men, but not many doctors. Since therefore the truth is one—for 'grace and truth' (John 1:17) come 'through Jesus Christ'—one truth becomes through itself, not truths as individuals through it. They become through the one, just as partial virtues become through the universal and individual knowings through the universal.

Therefore the Lord seeks these; so strive as far as you are able to receive some truth, for God seeks these. Even if you receive truth regarding practical virtues, the truth of practical virtues is judged from the disposition, if one participates in justice through that very thing. Since 'let the righteous pursue justice rightly' (Ps 33:5), pursue that very justice rightly, pursue the practice of the righteous with a disposition of righteousness.

'Love the Lord, all you his saints' (Ps 5:7). He gave a reason; since 'the Lord seeks truth', 'love the Lord', the provider of truths. Thus we also hear righteousness being spoken of in the plural: 'The Lord is righteous and he loved righteousness' (Ps 116:15). But when he speaks concerning universal righteousness, the essence, 'righteousness descended from heaven' (Ps 11:7), he calls the Savior righteousness here. And just as it has become to us as wisdom, so also righteousness.

And they repay those who practice pride excessively. Since he showed the smallness of those who fear, for he also said there are men who trouble them, certain sophists and deceivers, he called these proud. But they practice pride excessively. And it is possible even thus: all evil becomes superfluous instead of being in vain. This indeed is also said in Proverbs: 'Do not love...'

against a man in vain; for even one hating a friend cannot do anything to him, unless God gives it. Therefore he does this in vain. And it is not necessary to strive for vain things. And these therefore the proud do pridefully in excess; for not all those of whom they boast will be subordinates to them, unless God gives it.

Be men, and let your heart be strong, all you who hope in the Lord (Psalm 31:6). Having said this, he anoints all the struggles for endurance, for manliness. And he does not speak of those who fear, but of those who hope. And we say that these are those working for the good of the promises with desire. These therefore are ready to become manly and to be strengthened and to draw near to God. And each one, clinging to Him, becomes one spirit with Him. And if each one of those clinging to the Lord becomes one with Him, when many are the ones clinging to Him, by a way of communion all become one spirit.

To David: of understanding. Blessed are those whose lawlessnesses have been forgiven (Psalm 32:1). The forgiveness of sins is a new genesis, a genesis upon genesis. Because of this it is called regeneration. Just as the repetition denotes song upon song, so also the regeneration is another genesis being added upon a genesis that has arrived. It was necessary, therefore, for the psalm concerning regeneration to have certain virtues in number. And from the fourth square, five times five takes an addition and receives the first of the perfect ones, the six; for the first of the perfect ones, having been added to the fourth of the squares, makes thirty-one. The five times five is a square. A square is that which is equal. These therefore, the numbers having been set forth, have become suitable to the regeneration; for it is necessary to have its constitution from a perfect number and from a square because of stability. The former genesis became corrupt. The first-formed ones turned away from perfect virtue and from the keeping of the divine commandment which they had received from God. It was necessary, therefore, for the second genesis to be more stable. The stable one has its quality from the square; it has the perfect one from the six, in the number being composed and partitioned from its own parts. And this must be said: even if the twenty-five is a square, it has its imperfection from sensible things; for the sensible things are five...